Utah’s Outdoor Recreation

Do communities benefit from outdoor recreation? What would happen if community leaders treated outdoor recreation as an opportunity and a public service, similar to a city's roads, police or fire department?

On May 12, 2022, Dr. Jordan Smith, the director of the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University, addressed these questions and more.
During his presentation, Dr. Smith highlighted three of his current research projects:

• A look at visitation trends in Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, and Millcreek Canyons
• An effort, in coordination with tribal leaders, to select a location for the Bears Ears National Monument visitor center
• A research-focused collaboration to identify investment opportunities for outdoor recreation infrastructure development throughout Utah

The event featured a presentation by Dr. Smith, followed by a live question-and-answer session. You can also listen to Dr. Jordan Smith on his episode on the Instead podcast. 

Video of the full event is available to view below.

Dr. Jordan Smith
Director of the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University.